In A Field of Sunflowers
by wrorus
Summary: Kuroko compares Kise's brightness to a sunflower. (In which Kuroko explains why he didn't choose Kise as his "light" and inadvertently speaks of his fears with an implied confession thrown into the mix.) kikuro, oneshot.


**A/N**: I wrote this around January, but I left the saved file in my phone, forgotten. D: Thankfully, I found the file and decided to finish editing it (since I only write rough drafts on my phone). I hope you enjoy reading this random piece!

**Summary**: Kuroko compares Kise's brightness to a sunflower. (In which Kuroko explains why he didn't choose Kise as his "light" and inadvertently speaks of his fears with an implied confession thrown into the mix.)

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_At a field of the most beautiful sunflowers with the brightest petals,_

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After the Winter Cup when Seirin won, the Generation of Miracles decided to let their legend be drowned in the sounds of the buzzer resounding in the the next court of winners and amend their friendships with each other. Thanks to Kuroko and his undying resolve to drag all of them off from the metaphorical thrones made of egoism, they realized there were things much more important than a tasteless victory — the feeling of fun when playing with basketball. The Generation of Miracles all decided it was for the best to leave a trophy title that they didn't need and practically held no meaning for them.

After much debate, much to Kuroko's unseen chagrin, all of them mutually agreed that they would take turns to spend time with Kuroko first (all of them owed him, really) by using a lucky draw. They all wrote their names on a piece of paper and let Kuroko draw one. After shaking the box a few times and letting Kuroko do the lucky draw, he drew Kise's name and then it led to the current situation.

The two decided to go on an impromptu road trip for a week with only a bag of basic necessities, their money and a few change of clothes. At first, Kise wanted to take Kuroko to somewhere more expensive (like France, with the money he never used from his modeling gigs) to show his appreciation, but Kuroko hastily denied when he realized money would be involved. So, the teal haired male said that he preferred simple scenery instead of glorified tourist areas, hence their road trip.

"Remember the voice message you sent to me at the end of our third year?" said the blue haired boy. His voice does not have its usual monotone but a softer, nicer feel to it.

Right now, the two were sitting at the back of the truck that was temporarily stopped because both of them wanted a little break and fresh air instead of continuously driving to nowhere. They parked the truck out of the road, so they wouldn't block it.

It is Kise's time to be embarrassed. The blond model wished that his ex-teammate either ignored or forgot all about it, since he didn't even receive a reply. It was just so sappy and raw with uncontrolled emotions he couldn't handle when Kuroko went missing from the team.

"Y-yeah, what about it?" His face gains a color similar to fresh tomatoes.

"I actually listened to it, even though I didn't reply." Kuroko confesses this fact, which makes Kise surprised. "You asked me then, 'why didn't you make me your light?' and ended the message with an abrupt crash."

Kise continues to blush. That day, he was just... so angry that he slammed his flip phone onto the ground to release the pent up frustration until he had to get a new one.

Although Kise is flattered of how Kuroko thinks about him, he can't help but be worried by the sudden appearance of the topic. "Kurokocchi, what's going on?" He asks gently.

Kuroko shakes his head to indicate that there's nothing wrong.

The copycat player rubs the back of his neck. If he can't ask his own question, he might as well end the conversation that was going nowhere. Besides, he was sure Kuroko didn't want to actually talk about it. "You don't need to answer, Kurokocchi, I already know-"

Kuroko cuts him off. "Do you really?"

Kuroko's expression catches Kise's eye. His gaze seemed to soften considerably and a pair of untrained eyes would still see a person empty of emotions but Kise knew his mentor/best friend was having a sentimental moment. There was also that twitching that wanted to lift up the corners of his mouth to consider. "You're bright like a sunflower." He says softly as he stares ahead from his sitting position at the back of the truck.

There was a field of sunflowers growing there.

Kise spluttered indignantly. "K-K-Kurokocchi," he looks as if he was torn between appalled and happy. "I remind you of a flower?" That didn't make sense.

A flower, really?

Kuroko doesn't laugh, neither does he take a jab at Kise's plight. All he does is continue. "You're not as bright as Aomine-kun and Kagami-kun," cue Kise's physical disappointed at himself but it doesn't deter Kuroko's flow of speech. "Because you don't suffocate me in the brightness."

The blond just takes on a dumbfounded expression. "Huh-wha?" He said unintelligibly. It was strange for Kise, because he never heard of Kuroko saying it that way and he was sure that the shorter male didn't say that much in a row.

"When I stand alongside them, I feel like they would make me lost in the brightness and disappear forever if I stayed too long, because I wouldn't be able to leave." says Kuroko. His voice doesn't shake and he doesn't gain any visible expressions, just a small frown in between his eyebrows.

"But Kise-kun is like a sunflower because you're just small in comparison to something akin to the size of the sun, yet you manage to cheer me up and brighten my day like a real sun." At the last part, he manages a small curl of lips tilting upwards.

"I guess that the reason I didn't choose you to be my light is because I wanted you to stay the way you are." said Kuroko, still staring at the field of sunflowers. "I was afraid that you would change into something unrecognizable and I would be unable to reach out to you because you would be too bright. You would burn up and continue burning until you finally exhaust yourself." Like Aomine-kun, though it was left unsaid.

Kise voices out his thoughts. "I know I should feel happy that you've complimented me so far, but what are you saying all of this now?" The handsome basketball player's voice takes on a tone of bewilderment. "Is something bothering you?"

"You deserve an answer, even if it is a late one." responded Kuroko. He looks wistful with a tinge of regret. "I'm sorry."

"There's another reason, isn't there." states Kise with a pained smile. It is far from a question and Kise would rather know why Kuroko was bringing this up instead of simply enjoying the scenery.

Kuroko bows his head slightly. "I know that I'm late but I just wanted you to know that I appreciate you more then anyone in this world."

"That's why I was very happy when I drew your name from the draw." This confession manages to make the blush come back onto Kise's face. "All I want to say is — thank you for always being there for me, Kise-kun."

Then, in an unexpected turn of events, Kise laughs. Kuroko can tell that it is definitely a hundred percent genuine, though this is new to him because he had never heard of Kise laughing like that. It was full of sincerity and joy, unlike the boring, mechanical and plastic laughter he would hear when Kise was in the vicinity of his sycophantic fangirls. He isn't sure how to react to it.

"Kurokocchi, is this your own way of confessing?" asked Kise, his face red from laughing. "Because I would still continue to make you happy and brighten your darkest days."

Even if Kuroko would usually push Kise away for being too affectionate in public, it is without a doubt that Kuroko enjoyed Kise's companionship and he was too immersed in a world of Kise and him in a field of sunflowers to complain. There were only two of them and nothing else was worth the effort.

"Please continue doing so."

It was only the beginning of their adventure and they have already found the treasure before it started.

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_I only see you._

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End file.
